In many retail environments (in particular a grocery store), items for sale are displayed along a shelf. Information about the various items are usually listed along the shelf holding the item. Frequently changes in the information is required. This is normally done by having new labels with the new information printed and placed along the shelf. Having new labels printed takes a substantial period of time, usually on the order of three days to two weeks. In many cases, this time lag is a major problem to the retailer. The retailer cannot adequately reflect rapidly fluctuating prices or other information about a given product. The retailer must either take a loss on some items (as in the case of the price going up), or the customer may experience frustration in paying more for a product that he should (if the price goes down).
It is an object of the invention to reduce the time period needed to change information shown to a customer about an item.
Cost of the printed labels is an overhead cost that the retail store must absorb. While the cost of the labels is not very expensive on an individual basis, there is a recurring cost of having to frequently get new labels printed. Further, as many of the labels are unique to the item, the cost per label must necessarily be higher than if all labels were the same.
It is another object of the invention to reduce the recurring costs associated with reprinting labels.
Another problem that is associated with conventional labels is that of human error. When labels arrive from the printer, they must be hand-placed on the shelf associated with the item whose information has been changed. The label may be printed incorrectly, in which case the label must be reprinted thus introducing a further time lag. Worse yet, the label may be put on the wrong item leading to confusion about the information on two items for sale.
It is another object of the invention to reduce the human error factor.
What is disclosed is a replacement for the labeling system that allows for frequent changes without the need to reprint labels. The labels are replaced by small display modules. These display modules may be powered by an electrical storage device or have power fed to them via a connector. A multi-digit display is integral to the module. Also present is a coupler to interface to a hand-held unit so that pricing or other information may be programmed into the display module for display to the ultimate consumer.
The hand-held unit contains a memory for storing information about a large number of items. A code reader is included in the hand-held unit for reading a code off of the products for sale, or in some instances, off of the shelf. Also present in the hand-held unit is a coupler for programming the display modules with the information and an input port for initially receiving the data from another source.
The above objects are achieved by a product information display system comprising shelf means, product located along said shelf, indicia for uniquely identifying said product, visual display means for displaying product information, and update means for modifying said product information; said visual display means being placed along said shelf means; said visual display means including visual display indicia, a control means, and a first coupler means; said control means controlling said visual display indicia in response to data received by said first coupler means; said update means comprising a hand-held unit and reader means for reading said indicia uniquely identifying said product; and said hand-held unit further including a second coupler means for transmitting data to said first coupler means wherein said data is correlated with said indicia uniquely identifying said product.